The Show Girl
by Michelle Black a.k.a Elle
Summary: "Does it bother that not everyone is throwing themselves at your feet?" Rachel asked, her cheeks flushed as she realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. Tony tilted his head to the side and smirked."Yeah, it's a very rare occurrence when I'm not being worshipped. I thought it would be best if I checked you weren't suffering through a stroke or something."/ Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

_**Disclaimer: While I do adore Iron Man and his fellow teammates, I sadly don't have the rights to them. **_

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Kick. Kick. Twirl. One. Two. Three. Jump. Kick. Kick. Head toss. Smile. Split.

"Great! Everyone take a five minute break. Valerie and Anna please come here." the dance instructor shouted, clapping his hands together sharply. The dancers dropped their position and moved around the stage, talking and laughing loudly.

Rachel flopped herself down in the center of the stage, tossed an arm over her eyes, and took huge gulps of air. This was their second week of practicing for the big reveal of the Stark Expo and she was ready to get it over with.

"What are you doing?" an amused voice asked from above her. Rachel groaned, but didn't remove her arm to see who was speaking to her.

"I'm trying to save up energy to off myself so I don't have to continue this torture." She muttered. The stranger barked out a laugh. She smiled; he had a nice laugh.

"That's strange. Most women would be thrilled to have a chance to stand so close to Stark." He continued. Rachel scoffed.

"I'm sure Mr. Stark is a ball of sunshine, but I didn't put myself through two weeks of nonstop torture for a five minute glimpse." She said, grimacing as her sweat odor reached her nose. She really needed to shower. "Ugh, I need water."

She sense the stranger move away and return. "Here." He said. She removed her arm and sat up, her arm already stretching to receive the bottle. She froze as she took a good look at him. Sitting beside her, indian style, in the most expensive gray suit she had ever seen, with a giant smirk on his face, was Tony Stark. _The_ Tony Stark.

Rachel yelped and scooted away from him, the water bottle dropped between them. Tony raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that's the first time a beautiful woman has reacted that way to me. Most either faint or flirt shamelessly." He said thoughtfully. "Like the hair by the way. I've never seen anyone with that particular shade of blue before. Let's hope for your sake it doesn't clash with the costume."

"It doesn't." She said automatically, her eyes still wide as she stares at him. Why was he here? She mentally hit herself. Of course he was here. This was _his_ expo. But why was he here with _her?_ Talking to her?

"I came in to find Pepper and saw you instead. Your dancer friends were practically throwing themselves at me and you were the only one not anywhere near me." He shrugged, handing her back the bottle. She accepted it dazedly. "I was wondering why that was."

"Does it bother that not everyone is throwing themselves at your feet?" Rachel asked, her cheeks flushed as she realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. Tony tilted his head to the side and smirked. He really was handsome.

"Yeah, it's a very rare occurrence when I'm not being worshipped. I thought it would be best if I checked you weren't suffering through a stroke or something." He said. Rachel shook her head in amusement and finally took a sip of her drink. She sighed happily as her insides cooled.

"Thanks for that." She said smiling. He waved it away.

"Least I can do since I'm apparently causing you ridiculously amount of stress and pain." He chuckled as her face turned red again. Before she could defend herself, a woman in the biggest heels she had ever seen appeared next to Tony, a pad in one of her arms and a small frown etched on her pretty face.

"Tony! I've been looking for you everywhere. The construction workers are having trouble with one of the buildings in section four." She paused and took a good look at the woman next to Tony. "Are you harassing her?"

Tony scoffed and stood up, buttoning up his suit jacket. "I never harass. We were just having a lovely conversation, weren't we…?" He trailed off. Rachel stood up as well and nodded.

"Yeah." She smiled at the redhead. The woman smiled back. "Well I better go back to practicing. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Stark."

She quickly walked to the group of chattering women on the other side of the stage. The dance director was in the middle of the group, in the middle of a lecture of proper decorum when meeting a celebrity. Rachel couldn't help turn her head and watch Tony leave with his CEO.

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**_I found it kind of weird that there wasn't many OC/Tony fanfics at least in in the romantic sense. Maybe because we all agree that Pepper is just so damn awesome. Not that I'm saying this is one... Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Remember to write your thoughts below._**


	2. Chapter 2: Second Encounters

_**I'm moving tomorrow so I decided to post something for this week in case I can't get any time to myself or there's no wifi. Pray that there's wifi!**_

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"You never told me your name." Tony murmured in her ear. Rachel jumped, letting go of the red curtain, and whirled around to face him. He stood in front of her in another ridiculously expensive suit and a smug smile plastered across his face. With a hand clutching her chest, she glared half-heartedly.

"I didn't know you were interested." She said after awhile. He stepped closer.

"Why wouldn't I want to know the name of the woman who thinks I'm a slave driver?" He said, tugging his hands into his pockets. She groaned and crossed her arms, the hem of her iron man dress riding up her thighs.

"You're never going to let that go are you?"

"Nope. Well, not until you give me your name." He said, staring intensely. The dance director suddenly appeared at the doorway and shouted five minutes. Rachel sighed in relief and gathered with the other girls in formation. The girls whispered and glanced repeatedly at Tony, but thankfully didn't say anything to Rachel.

" you should go." she called to him. Tony shook his head and leaned against the wall, his eyes firmly trained on her.

"Not until I get your name."

The music began playing. The dancers faced forward, their spines straightening and bright smile appeared on their faces. Rachel glanced one more time towards him.

"Does it matter? I'm sure you can come up with a better name." She called before the curtains were pushed back and the girls were running to the center stage.

Tony smiled.

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_**Thank you so much for the follows and the favorites they really made my day. I especially want to thank /strongCalliope's Scribe strongfor the review. My first one! Getting Feedback is very important to me( and to any writer really) because it allows me to know what captures your interest. Do you feel like I'm missing something? Should I take something away? Let me know. Constructive criticism, whether it's just to say "I totally love it!" or a page-long review about the flaws in my interpretation of the Avengers, is always welcome.**_


	3. Chapter 3: Third Time's A Charm

_**Disclaimer: Marvel owns the Avengers. I do not.**_

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The third time they met, neither had been actively looking for the other. Rachel had gone to Rusty's Donuts for a box of rainbow sprinkled donuts for her mother. She'd been heading for her car, the box firmly snugged under her right arm when she heard someone yelling.

"Blues clues! Hey!"

She looked around, but saw the parking lot empty. She glanced up towards the donut sign and gaped. Tony was lounging in the giant donut in his iron man suit. He waved at her.

"What are you doing up there?" She yelled. He reached for the box next to him and munched on a donut.

"Eating. Small world huh. Never thought I would run into you here, Blues Clues." He called out thoughtfully. Rachel felt her left eyebrow twitch.

"Out of all the nicknames in the universe, you decide to call me _Blues Clues_?"

Tony shrugged. "Your hair is blue."

She sighed and placed her box of donuts inside her car. She leaned against it and crossed her arms. "Honestly Mr. Stark , What are you doing up there?"

"First of all, it's Tony. Mr. Stark is only reserved to the people that work for me or I don't particularly like. Neither are in your case." He reached in his box for another donut. "And like I said before, I'm eating. And thinking about life."

"And both of those are best done inside a giant donut sign?" She asked raising an eyebrow at him.

"The idea came to me at three in the morning." He said simply. She stared up at him for a moment, before nodding to herself.

"Come down."

"I'm fine where I am thanks."

"Tony, come down. You're coming over to my place." She said walking to the driver's door. A smirk grazed his tired face.

"I knew you couldn't resist my charm. Everyone falls for Tony Stark." He puffed out his chest. Well, as well as he could in his Iron Man suit.

"Oh, yes, I want you so bad. Hurry, so I can get you in my bed and have my wicked way with you." She said deadpanned. He grinned down at her and flew down to stand in front of her.

"Baby, I'm going to rock your world." He whispered, his eyes twinkling in amusement. Rachel couldn't help but smile back.

"That's what I'm counting on."

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_**Thank you so much for the patience and for the many followers and favorites. They were very much appreciate. Those that reviewed you definitely have a special place in my heart. Again, click the button below to tell me your thoughts. I promise you I will read every single one.**_


	4. Chapter 4: Galas and Fiji

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Avengers.

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_He is so buying me a trip to France after this_, she thought viciously as she entered through the large glass doors of the Plaza Hotel. She had to keep her mouth from dropping open as she took in the sight of the entrance hall.

There were a large chandeliers that twinkled against the creme backdrop of the floors and walls. A giant marble staircase loomed out in front of her. There were many men and women mingling in the lobby; the soft chatter and brief flashes from their jewelry and cameras created a hazy buzz.

Rachel gulped as she ran a hand through her tight black dress. _Remind me to send a thank-you-note to Ms. Potts_, She thought faintly as she walked slowly through the crowd. She almost got to the staircase when someone called for her.

"Blues Clues!"

She turned with a relieve smile. Tony weaved his way through the last remaining people between them until he stopped a few feet in front of her. He inspected her from head to toe, before meeting her gaze, a smirk unfurling slowly from his lips.

"I'm guessing I passed your imaginary test." Rachel said amusedly, crossing her arms. Tony's smirk widened and grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter.

"With flying colors." He agreed, passing her a drink. "Remind me to thank Pepper with a car or something."

"I actually wouldn't mind getting a two-week trip to Fiji. God knows I need the vacation." Pepper appeared behind Tony, looking absolutely breath-taking in an emerald dress and pearls. She smiled at the younger woman. "Hello again Miss Lewis. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes very much. Thank you for the dress and for inviting me." Rachel said sweetly. Suddenly the lights dimmed twice, before they returned to normal. The men and women slowly made their way up the staircase.

"Looks like the show is about to start. Ladies?" Tony raised his arms with a charming grin. It would have been incredibly debonair if he hadn't been wiggling his eyebrows. Pepper groaned and rolled her eyes, while Rachel attempted to stifle her giggles, but the women complied and each took an arm.

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**Sorry that it's so short and ended abruptly. It was how I wrote it at the time and now I don't know how I would fix it. Please REVIEW and FOLLOW AND FAVORITE my story. Have a nice weekend everyone!**


	5. Chapter 5: Lowering Inhibitions

**Disclaimer: Do Not Own Avengers. Or Marvel.**

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They were sitting on the floor of his kitchen, giggling hysterically as they took their sixth swig of scotch. Tony stretched out until he laid sprawled on the tile floor. Rachel nudged him.

"Okay, okay, my turn." He stared at the bottle of scotch in his hand, before smirking evilly. "The best hook up."

Rachel groaned and hit the back of her head against the counter. She glared as he snickered. "I hate you."

"You love me." He retorted. Rachel snatched the bottle, sighing as the scotch tingled down her throat.

"Summer of 2008. Best friend's brother. Orgasmed like four times that night."She grinned. Tony looked impressed.

"Almost beat my record. I once made a woman orgasm eight times." He boasted. Her eyes bulged and her mouth dropped open. Tony nodded with a smirk.

"I'm not even going to ask." She shook her head and took another sip. "What's your favorite childhood memory?"

The smirk on his face dropped. He grabbed back the bottle and took a large swing. And another. And another.

"Tony." Rachel said gently, prying the bottle from his hands. He stared at the tile floor for a moment, before meeting her gaze with a composed expression. His eyes gave him away though. They were wistful.

"Thanksgiving." He said quietly. "It was the one time my parents and I were in the same room. We gave our staff the weekend off. My mom made the turkey and I helped my dad with the mash potatoes. It felt like a real family."

Rachel crawled to his side and placed her head on his shoulder. They stayed silent for the remainder of the night, sharing the bottle until it ran out.

When Pepper comes up the next morning to harass Tony into another meeting with the board, she finds them fast asleep on the kitchen floor, curled around each other like a couple of kittens. She takes a couple of pictures- for blackmail purposes- and quietly heads back to the elevator.

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**_Thank you for the patience. There is a lot more to come don't worry. Just remember to review._**


	6. Chapter 6: Tony's Lab

His lab looked like it came from one of those sci-fi movies her grandmama loved to watch. The room was huge. It could easily fit her apartment twenty times. It was white and pristine with holograms and machines whizzing around yet, the vintage cars and paintings of Pollock and Kiefer brought back a touch of reality. Rachel stepped further into the room, her head swinging back and forth to see everything. Tony sat back in his chair watching her in amusement.

"Nothing like you imagined,huh?" He drawled. Rachel twirled one last time, before meeting his gaze with an excited smile.

"I honestly should have expected it after seeing the Stark Expo. This is amazing!" She cried. Tony smiled. It was always nice to meet people that genuinely appreciated his work, even if they didn't understand it. He motioned her over to his desk. She approached him curiously.

"I'm working on a new project concerning my suit. Do you want to help?" He asked, pulling up a hologram that was filled with diagrams and charts. Rachel gaped at him.

"M-Me?" She stammered.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Obviously. Who else would I ask?"

Rachel looked around as if waiting for someone to come out and hit her over the head. Nothing. "I don't even know the first thing about engineering!" She threw her hands up in the air. "I'm a dancer remember. It doesn't require much brain power. I can't help you, I'm sorry."

Tony finally turned, his expression stern. "Don't underestimate yourself. If I ask you to help me out with something, it's because I know you can do it. Besides I wouldn't want to ask anyone but you. You're the only friend I know that genuinely takes an interest in what I do."

Rachel stared at him in amazement. He turned back to fiddle with his hologram.

"So, are you just going to stand there or actually help me?" He threw over his shoulder. She shook her head with a smile and step closer to the hologram.

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**Something I wanted to clarify since a reviewer brought something to my attention. The Show Girl isn't a conventional story. It's a story told through snapshots of their lives, but trust me there is a plot. It's just kind of slow on the uptake. If this story ends up the way I imagine in to be, then by December I will spruce this story up a bit. But December will be entirely focus on my baby, the Doctor Who story called Kaleidoscope Hearts, so any Doctor Who fans reading this should check it out and share some feedback.**

**Thank you for the patience again.**

**-Elle**


	7. Chapter 7: Ungodly Hours

_**Because I do owe you for the two weeks of silence. Thanks to Britney Spears for creating Trouble for Me. Isn't Britney great?**_

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Electronic music begins to pulse loudly in the dark room followed by a sweet voice singing:

_You're real bad, yeah,baby, you're right._

_Everybody loves you_

_Baby, you're the king of the night_

_and I'm the only one making sure to stay_

_out of your sight_

A pale hand reaches from out of the covers and slams against the top of the nightstand. It fumbles, knocking over pens and loose change before grasping a white slick phone.

A picture of Tony Stark in a ridiculous cowboy hat and giant pink glasses appears on the screen. A mixture of a growl and cry fills the air.

"Tony, you have three seconds to tell me why you're calling me at three in the morning?" Rachel hisses, massaging her sore eyes with her free hand. An amused chuckle fills her ear.

"Another thing to add to the Blues Clues list: grumpy when woken up. I feel bad for your next boyfriend, having to deal with not only your big hair nest but your homicidal tendencies in the morning" He quips.

"I'm going to show you my homicidal tendencies the next time I see you if you don't answer my question now."

"Kinky, I love it." Tony said. Rachel growled. " Get it. Homicidal tendencies. I need your help."

"This help couldn't be needed at a more appropriate time like at ten? It's my day off Tony." Rachel immediately shuts her mouth. She hated the whiney tone her voice takes whenever Tony was being particularly annoying. The other line was quiet.

"It's Pepper's birthday tomorrow." Tony says quietly. Rachel pulls away from her phone and stares at the screen. His picture was still the same; smirking knowingly at her. She sighs and rubs at her eyes.

"I'll help you." She says, sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed to the plush carpet underneath. She glances at the clock and groans. "I'll be at your house around nine okay? This girl needs to sleep."

She hangs up on him and throws the phone somewhere on her nightstand, diving back into the comforts of her trusty pillow pet, Pilly the Dragon, and her soft covers.

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_**Do me a solid and review? Much appreciated.**_


	8. Chapter 8: Bonding

The dinner was a success. It was a small affair, held at the roof top of Tony's mansion and only Pepper's family and closest friends (Rachel stressed this very clearly) were in attendance.

Rachel was in the kitchen cleaning up the mess Tony left behind, steadily ignoring the machines that were beeping insistently to help.

"Thank you."

She squealed, nearly dropping the dishes she was carrying. Pepper stood at the doorway, a wine glass in hand and her black stilettos in the other. Soft jazz music played behind her. She smiled, "You know, Tony created little servant bots to do the dishes."

"I know, but there's something about doing the dishes yourself that is so therapeutic." the blue-haired woman said, dumping them in the sink and turning on the faucet. The older woman hummed in agreement, taking up a wash cloth. They worked together in silence. Washing and drying. Washing and drying.

"Did you enjoy your party? Tony was very thoughtful." Rachel asked. Pepper leaned against the counter, sipping from her discarded wine glass with a thoughtful hum.

"I did." She said slowly, turning to look at Rachel. The dancer stayed still, feeling that if she moved, even an inch, Pepper wouldn't find what she was looking for. "Did you know, for the longest time, he would never remember my birthday? The few times he did, he would give me something outlandish. Don't get me wrong, they were very beautiful, but they were things I didn't need. So before we got together, I would always get myself something so he didn't have to."

She ran her finger around the wine glass. "I don't know if it's because we're together or it's because he met you, but this was the best present he could have given me. Everyone I love was here."

Rachel didn't dare meet her gaze, carefully turning off the faucet.

"Thank you for being a good influence on him." The redhead said. Rachel shook her head, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear, and finally met her gaze with a giant smile.

"Pepper, I had nothing to do with it." Rachel chuckled and patted the older woman's hand. " He called me at three in the morning, fussing like a worried hen about what to get you and when I finally met up with him, he was talking a mile a minute about this massive list of all the potential gifts."

The dancer noticed her tearing up and hugged her. "He genuinely loves you dear." she whispered, "Don't ever forget that."

"I won't. I know what a miracle it is for Tony Stark to love a woman." Pepper whispered back. They pulled away and smiled at each other.

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** Some nice Pepper/Rachel bonding time. Review, favorite, follow.**


	9. Chapter 9: Attack on the Expo

**Disclaimer: I am not the owner of the Avengers or the Iron Man Suit.**

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_See me ride out of the sunset_

_on your color TV screen_

_Out for all I can get_

_If you know what I mean_

_Women to the left of me_

_And women to the right_

Rachel blushed as her fellow dancers glared and shushed her. She quickly moved away from the closed curtain to the farthest corner. She peeked at the screen and groaned. It was Tony.

"I'm already peeved that you hacked my phone to switch your ringtone, but you're reaching new levels with this stunt." She hissed, smiling pleasantly as her dancing director glanced her way. "Why are you not here? Pepper is going to kill you."

"Forget about your phone, I'll give you a new one. Just listen to me." He said. Her eyebrows knitted together and she clutched her phone closer to her ear. She waved away her director's shout of 5 minutes. "Something is wrong with the suits. You need to get Pepper and leave. Warn everyone."

"What?" She exclaimed. The director suddenly appeared before her, a murderous expression on his face.

"GO! You're late." He roared. Rachel jumped, almost dropping her phone. She shoved it in her pocket, and raced towards the stage.

The music and the audience roared in her ears. The lights blurred her vision. Her mind was racing, thinking over Tony's warning. She felt arms around her and she began to move along with the music.

Kick. Kick. Twirl. One. Two. Three. Jump.

She scanned the crowd. Where was Pepper?

Jump. Kick. Kick. Turn. Shake butt.

She saw Happy. Rhodey. Pepper. Rachel mouthed frantically at her.

Kick. Kick. Kick. Twirl.

Pepper frowned.

Kick. Kick. Kick.

"Danger." She said, panic rising in her.

Twirl.

"Danger."

Twirl.

"Danger!"

Kick. Kick.

"DANGER!" She screamed. The iron man suits surrounding them whirled on, their weapons splitting open. She ducked.

Chaos erupted. People were shoving and pushing towards the exits. Rachel scrambled off the stage, heading straight towards a paralyzed Pepper.

"Let's go! We need to find Tony!" She yelled at her. They took cover as they heard the ceiling break. The suits were gone. They raced out of the stadium and stared in awe.

Stark Expo was being destroyed. The iron suits were flying around the Expo shooting their lasers at everything in their line of sight. The buildings were crumbling, debris hitting passerbys. Fires were erupting everywhere. People were screaming and trying to run away. Rachel dropped to her knees, her hands buried in her hair.

"What do we do?" She said brokenly, tears blurring her vision. Pepper lifted her up, her green eyes narrowed and her jaw locked tight.

"We're going to try and evacuate as many people. We need to help Tony out." She said urgently. The blue-haired woman winced as she heard a piercing cry, but took a shuddering breath and nodded.

It felt like days for Rachel as they split up. Her iron man dress had ripped, her knees and hands were scraped raw, and her blue hair was covered in soot and singed.

She was in the middle of handing a mother her child when her phone rang. She quickly pressed it against her ear.

"Where are you?" Tony asked. Rachel sagged against a crumbled wall, her chest heaving and faced screwed up to keep her tears from falling. He was okay. "Blues? I don't have much time."

"I-I'm at the Expo. Pepper and I stayed behind to evacuate the rest of the people." She said, getting up to continue the search. "Is Rhodey okay? I saw him fly away with the rest of the suits."

"He's fine. He has full control now. Listen, You need to find Pepper and get out. The suits are coming your way." He said urgently. Rachel gasped and looked around.

"Tony, I don't know where Pepper is. "She said frantically, rushing past rubble. He cursed.

"I'll get her. Just get as far away from the Expo. It's about to blow." He hung up. Rachel wanted to scream. She could feel her lungs expand, the panic building up in her chest, but her throat was closing and her eyes were beginning to blur.

She could hear the suits coming. She forced herself to go faster, quick pants and choking noises escaped her lips. She wasn't going to make it.

Arms suddenly wrapped around her and lifted her up in the air.

The explosion made her ears ring and her face burn.

She blacked out.

"Blue. Blue. Blue. Blue."

Rachel opened her eyes. She felt the coolness of metal all around her, before she met Tony's worried gaze. "You okay?"

She sighed and nodded, allowing him to resume cradling her in his arms. She closed her eyes. She was alive. "Pepper?" She croaked. A cool hand pressed gently against her forehead.

"I'm here. Everything is okay now." Her friend murmured softly. Rachel sighed again and fell asleep, listening in contentment as her favorite couple talk above her.

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**Here's a little something-something for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Remember to show your support for this fic with a quick review, favorite, follow. Everyone of those is greatly appreciated. Especially the reviews...**

**-Elle**


	10. Chapter 10: Aftermath

**Disclaimer: _I do not own the Avengers._**

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**Rachel and Pepper finds out that Tony was dying. Aftermath.**

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"Here you are." Rachel stepped out into the roof and sat herself next to him, her feet dangling in the air. Tony didn't glance her way. He took a sip of his drink. "I didn't even know you were aware there was a roof."

Tony shrugged. "Thought it was best to stay away from the lab now that you and Pepper are upset with me."

Rachel stared at him. He refused to look her way. "That's a smart move." She said lightly, "How long do you plan on staying away from your suits?"

He shrugged again. She sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tony…"

"Don't lie to me and say you're not upset. I saw your face." He snapped, meeting her gaze. "I heard it in your voice. You're upset and you have every right to be. Don't you dare say you're not."

I wasn't going to." She said slowly, staring at him in surprised. "I'm angry."

"As you should be." He mumbled.

"Furious really." Rachel continued, watching him say an 'Amen' before gulping his drink. "but even bigger than that, I'm really hurt."

He winced and fell silent. The blue-haired girl mentally sighed in relief and moved closer. She inclined her head to catch his eyes. "Tony, you were _dying_. Dying. And didn't bother to tell anyone. How are we suppose to feel?"

He finally met her gaze. "I know."

"You _deliberately_ kept that information away from us." She continued, her fist shaking and her eyes tearing as the feelings she originally had resurfaced. "You didn't feel like it was important to tell us. Did you think you could just ignore it and simply wish it to go away?"

"No, I didn't. " He said calmly. "I was searching for a cure. I was hoping to find one before…"

Rachel scrambled up, her chest heaving. Tony followed quickly, placing his hands on her arms. "How close were you?"

"Blues…"

"Tell me Tony. You _owe_ me this." She said. He searched her face for a moment, before backing away.

"I burned out my last arch reactor." He said quietly. She stared at him. She shook her head slowly and turned for the door. "Blues…"

She raised her hand. "I need time to process this. Go to Pepper and apologize. At this point, she doesn't care what you did, all she wants is to be near you."

She stepped out, never once looking back at him.

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Rachel found him, two week later, sitting on her building's doorstep, a bunch of sunflowers across his lap and a crate filled with books at his side. He shot up, taking off his sunglasses with a swift movement, and shoved the sunflowers in her arms. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Pepper says they're your favorite." He said quickly. She smiled down at her gift, before glancing at him.

"Well, come on then. People need to use that stoop." She said, stepping around him to type in a code and the door buzzed open. She chuckled quietly as she heard him scrambling behind her to bring the crate. Rachel had never seen him so flustered in her life.

The elevator stopped at the fifth floor. She opened the door and allowed him to go first. She dropped her purse on the coffee table and headed for the kitchen.

"Drink?" She called over her shoulder. Tony plopped himself on the couch and immediately grabbed his favorite red pillow.

"Yes please." He replied, squeezing it against his chest. Rachel returned with two wine glasses. She sat across him, crossed-legged on the coffee table, her red toenails peeking out from under her long skirt.

"What website did you read that said a crate full of books would be a good apology?" she said, glancing at the crate with a sparkle in her eye. He shrugged and took a long sip of his drink. His shoulders relaxed.

"Happy thought it was a good idea. Most of them are signed copies." He said offhandedly. She stared at him and then threw her head back,laughing. He watched her with a fond smile.

"Tony, dear, I didn't need sign copies." She said gently, traces of her mirth still noticeable across her left cheek and the crinkles on her eyes. "I forgave you by the second day."

Tony jolted in his seat, his eyes wide. She smiled at him.

"I tried looking for you, but Jarvis and Pepper said you were busy either in the labs or traveling to another city for a meeting." She said, running a finger across the rim of her glass. She glanced up at him slyly. "Were you avoiding me?"

"I was just trying to give you space." He said. Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine, I didn't want to be around my house because it just reminded me how royally I screwed up with you and Pepper."

Rachel got off the table and threw herself next to him, wrapping him in a hug. "You really are forgiven Tony." She whispered. He sighed and buried his face on her shoulder. "Just promise that we won't lie to each other anymore."

Tony nodded. "Promise."

She smiled widely, squeezing him tightly before turning to the crate at their feet. He watched her.

"You know-Oh Dan Brown!- for future reference, if you want me to happy, you should just buy me canolis." She said, winking over her shoulder at him. He wrinkled his nose.

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**The ending was much cuter than this, but I accidentally deleted it... The Universe could be so cruel sometimes. Enjoy!**


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